Impact Wrestling's Xplosion
TNA Xplosion is a television program produced by Anthem Sports, featuring both highlights from Impact Wrestling and exclusive taped matches. It is now produced only for international markets, no longer airing in the United States. 2002–2008 Xplosion was launched on November 27, 2002 as TNA's only regular cable show and featured exclusive matches from the TNA Asylum as well as exclusive interviews with all the TNA Wrestling personalities. On November 18, 2004, the show became a recap show of the previous week's Impact! in light of alterations in the taping schedule. However, Xplosion resumed airing exclusive matches (billed as "Xplosion Xclusives") once more on October 7, 2005 in addition to recapping Impact!. The "Xplosion Xclusives" also aired on the now-ceased TNA Global Impact! internet show. All of the matches seen on Xplosion are taped ahead of time along with Impact!. Matches normally feature wrestlers who rarely appear on Impact!. Occasionally, wrestlers may make their debut or return on Xplosion and angles have also taken place. Airing of Xplosion in the United States ceased at the end of 2006, although some of the exclusive matches could be seen on TNA Today. 2008–2014 Beginning on December 22, 2008, "Xplosion Xclusive" matches are broadcast as web matches on the TNA website and TNA's YouTube page. The show was revamped at the June 14, 2010, tapings of the 300th episode of Xplosion, becoming more of an original program instead of a highlight show, with Jeremy Borash working as the lead play-by-play commentator. In addition to the format changes, Xplosion received a new logo, graphics and theme music performed by Taproot.4 At the May 16, 2011, tapings, Desmond Wolfe was announced as the new Xplosion Commissioner.5 He would however serve in the role only for a month, before being released from his TNA contract.6 Xplosion received a new logo and graphics with In This Moment's "The Gun Show" used as its official theme until mid-2012. The show became more of an original program instead of a highlight show, with Jeremy Borash working as the lead play-by-play commentator next to Mike Tenay (sometimes with special commentators). The show features new and exclusive matches with the TNA personalities, as well as updates on everything, including coverage of its flagship series Impact Wrestling and exclusive interviews with TNA personalities. Xplosion also featured the Spin Cycle, where Jeremy Borash has a Q&A session with various TNA stars in front of a live crowd. As of 2013, TNA started showing matches from the early years of TNA and matches prior to the upcoming TNA PPV. Beginning December 2013, Rockstar Spud replaced long term color commentator Mike Tenay, who thereafter stood in for Spud in 2014 from time to time when Spud could not make the tapings. 2014–2016 Challenge and TNA decided to repackage Xplosion. The all-new version aired weekly on Saturdays at 9am from May 31, 2014. The show had been reformatted with families in mind and to purposely differentiate itself from Impact Wrestling. It was still hosted by Jeremy Borash and features a mix of new matches, classic bouts. The show also continued to be shown in its current late night time slot of 11pm on Wednesday evenings (or 1am on Tuesday nights when there is a TNA PPV event shown on the Wednesday). During this time Rockstar Spud was replaced with Josh Mathews. The final Xplosion shown on Wednesday evening on Challenge was November 11, 2015. Thereafter Xplosion only aired on Saturday mornings in the UK. During 2015 in the spring long term host Jeremy Borash step down from the post and handed the reigns to Josh Mathews temporarily until September, 2015 when he briefly took it back over until October when Josh Mathews took over permanently, However, in 2016 Borash returned as color commentator alongside Josh Mathews. The Spin Cycle also returned by popular demand. By June, 2016 Jeremy Borash returned to running the show solo. However in August, 2016 Borash moved to ring announcing and The Pope joined full time after replacing Mathews in the past. 2017–present In early 2017, TNA Wrestling changed its name officially to Impact Wrestling, to reflect this change, the show gradually became known as simply 'Xplosion' instead of 'TNA Xplosion' - with the TNA logo rarely featuring in archived footage. It later was renamed 'Impact! Xpolsion'. On October 10, 2017 the Global Wrestling Network, was launched and Xplosion was added to it, to be broadcast for the United States making it no longer exclusive to just International markets. See Also Total Nonstop Action / Impact Wrestling